For a few weeks after the run, I continued to think about
what I had decided during the closing stages of TMM. I tried to dismiss it as a
whimsical imagination of a tired mind but could not. Sometimes commitments made
during the most bizarre moments seem to have the most profound relevance – this
one seemed one of those to me.
So, on 5th March, 2019 I started the
journey of 100 HMs in 100 days in all earnestness. I decided to call it #RightToBreathe,
#100HMsForACause campaign.
The journey so far..
Phase 1 - Initial few
days (5th Mar - 14th Mar)
During the first few days, the novelty factor associated
with the runs was quite high. For someone who had never done more than 3
consecutive HMs, the thought of attempting 100 HMs in 100 days was exhilarating
enough to keep up the spirit. This was the phase when I nicely settled into a
routine to be able to manage the runs around other commitments. Typically, the
run would start late in the evening and continue till late in the night.
After having completed the first 10 HMs, the novelty
associated with the runs started to fade away a little bit. It was during these
days that I realized the enormity of task ahead. It was not easy to get down
every evening and lace-up to run 21.1 kms.
This was also the time when I
realized that for me to have any chance of continuing this, I
had to find smart ways to recover. The good old recovery tactics – turmeric milk, ice pack, foam rolling, stretching,
hydration, increased protein intake – all became a natural part of the daily
routine. On March 29, I achieved a mini-milestone of sorts when I
completed the 25th consecutive HM in 25 days.
Phase 3 – One day at
a time please (1st Apr to 30th April)
The next phase (and probably the most testing phase) was the
month of April. This was the time when fatigue had reached an
unprecedented level. I realized that it was easy to get bogged down if I thought
of too far ahead. The simple rule was to just take it one day at a time then
come back the next day to see if it can go on for one more day.
This was also the time when I realized that I should not let go of any opportunity to sleep – sleep is when the real recovery happens after all. I slept at the airports, I slept during the Hop-on-Hop-off tour at Dublin, I slept during the waiting time at my kid’s chess competition…and it all helped to keep the engine running!
This was also the time when I realized that I should not let go of any opportunity to sleep – sleep is when the real recovery happens after all. I slept at the airports, I slept during the Hop-on-Hop-off tour at Dublin, I slept during the waiting time at my kid’s chess competition…and it all helped to keep the engine running!
Phase 4
– A pre-programmed robotic procedure (1st May onwards)
This is the ongoing phase and the one that I am enjoying the most. By
now, it feels like the body, mind and soul have nicely settled into a steady
state of equilibrium – a state of bliss where there is no incremental fatigue
or pain. Of course, fatigue is there but as I said no 'incremental' fatigue – it all
feels the same as what it was on the preceding day. It almost feels like a simple
automated robotic procedure which entails switching on the GPS watch, starting
the run, consuming 2-liter water during the run, ending the 21.1 kms run and then
cooling down – a simple robotic procedure it is! Or maybe it’s a case of mind
over body, where the mind is just rationalizing things.
What next?
By the time, I started penning down my thoughts for this
article, I had completed 68 HMs in as many days.
The journey continues…
The menace of Air-pollution and the ways to combat it
Given that this is a running related blog, I have focused largely on the running journey. But, let’s not forget the overall intent. The intent was to spread the awareness about air pollution challenge and ways to combat it. The awareness drive continues in the form of a social media campaign (LinkedIn, Twitter). Sharing below some of my favorite combat mechanisms shared till date:
‘WAYU’ to combat pollution at busy traffic signals: - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6531385051479932929
195 mobile moss walls per sq. km needed for Delhi: - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6530710810619146240
Pigeons with backpacks for air pollution monitoring: - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6528847004683067392
5 indoor plants to purify air: - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6526336396666466304
Ikea’s innovation to address stubble burning: - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6519303718775689216
To know more, follow the #RightToBreathe / #100HMsForACause posts at:
Sundeep Singh
+91 - 98181 19794
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About the Author: By background, Sundeep Singh is a Mechanical Engineer from IIT Delhi and an MBA from IIM Kozhikode. He is a Principal Director with Accenture's Sustainability practice in India. Given his flair for mechanics and passion for running, he loves to analyze and write about the finer nuances of running techniques / strategies. Sundeep’s best run till date is ADHM 2017, which he completed in 1:26:29.
